Shoe-lace fastener.



No. 787,812. PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

G. WBINBERG.

SHOE LACE PASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29,1904.

UNTTEE STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

GEORGE WEINBERG, OF PITTSFIEL D, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-LACE FASTENER- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,812, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed August 29, 1904. Serial No. 222,588.

field, in the county of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new and usefiil Improvements in Shoe-Lace Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the l art to which it apperfains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to shoe-lace fasteners, and generally to the means for fastening the shoes, the object of the invention being to provide in connection with the shoe means for holding the top of the shoe securely closed to prevent loosening of the shoe string or lace, and also to provide a construction and arrangement of hook to receive the lace and which will not be liable to be caught by the clothing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure l is a perspective view showing the upper portion of the shoe equipped with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through a portion of the shoe and a lacehook with a shoe-lace engaged therewith. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing one of the hooks. Fig. it is a bottom plan view of the fastener.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown the upper portion of a shoe 5, having the usual arrangement of hooks at each edge of the front opening of the shoe for engagement by the end portions of a shoe-lace 6, that has been laced through the usual eyelets in the lower portion of the shoe. Each of the hooks, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings,

comprises a cylindrical stem portion 7, at the upper end of which is a bill 8, which pro ects, as shown, beyond the vertical face of the stem j at all points excepting the portion of the stem Y Be it known that l, (inonon EINBERG, a CltlZOll of the United States, residing at .litts- 1 directly adjacent to the edge of the front opening of the shoe, the maximum projection of this flange being no greater than the thickness of a shoe-lace 6, so that when the shoe-lace is engaged with the hook the bill of the hook does not project therebcyond, and in consequence is prevented from engaging in the garments of the wearer. The lower end of the stem of the hook is reduced in diameter to form a supplemental attaching-stem 10, which is engaged through the shoe and then through a washer ll, against which latter it is upset or riveted.

In view of the fact that the spreading of the top of the shoe pulls on the shoe-lace and causes it to loosen it is desirable to have some supplemental means for holding the top of the shoe, and for this purpose an elastic strap 15 is employed, which is secured at one end to the shoe and is provided at its opposite end with a fastening device 16, which is adapted for engagement with a cooperating member 17 at the opposite side of the opening of the shoe. This holds the shoe yieldably closed and permits of sutlicient give to insure against injury to the wearer.

V hat is claimed is The combination with a shoe having a front opening in its upper portion, of a series of hooks at each side of said opening, each of said hooks comprising a stem of cylindrical shape, a flange at the upper end of the stem and projecting laterally away from the front opening of the shoe to an extent less than the thickness of the shoe-lace, a shoe-lace engaged with the shoe and with the hooks, and an elastic retaining-strap bridging the opening of the shoe above the hooks and attached to the shoe at both sides of said opening.

In testimony whereof l aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses GEORGE \YEINBERG.

\Vitnesses:

LoUisn TIERNEY, FRANK Spirit. 

